Given a cast that includes a large collection of veteran actors, like the ensemble in HBO’s upcoming drama “Boardwalk Empire,” it’s no surprise when someone like Michael Pitt is considered the new face on the block.

Though he’s never had such a prominent part on television, Pitt has stayed busy over the past 10 years, starting off with a recurring role on “Dawson’s Creek” and eventually appearing opposite Sandra Bullock in “Murder by Numbers.”

The 29-year old thesp moved on to smaller pics, giving him the chance to work with such directors as Michael Haneke and Gus Van Sant. Pitt explains that though “Boardwalk” is a larger-scale production than what he is used to, the size of a project has never been an issue for him.

“Whether it is big or small, I try not to look at a film or (TV) show like that when I’m deciding whether to work on it,” Pitt says.

Pitt plays Jimmy Darmody, a war hero turned gangster who happens to be one of the few fictional characters among a list of historical icons on the show that include Al Capone and Charles “Lucky” Luciano.

“It can be a double-edged sword when playing a fictional character in a world filled with so many real characters,” he says. “There were times I wish I could look up something about my character like how he talks or how he held his posture. With someone like Al Capone, you know there was a certain posture he possesses.”